Spring retainers for suction valves in high pressure plunger pumps are known. U.S. Pat. No. 7,186,097, Blume, discloses suction valve spring retainers. The retainers are for use in plunger pump housings incorporating structural features for stress relief. These pump housing structural features accommodate access bore plugs that secure suction valve spring retainers that are internally located substantially centrally over the suction bore transition area of the plunger pump housing. Access bore plugs are secured in place on the pump housing one or more threaded retainers. Plunger pumps so constructed are relatively resistant to fatigue failure because of stress reducing structural features, and they may incorporate a variety of valve styles, including top and lower stem-guided valves and crow-foot-guided valves in easily-maintained configuration. Suction valve spring retainers mounted in plunger pump housings may also incorporate a suction valve top stem-guide. Further, certain structural features of access bore plugs may be dimensioned to aid in improving volumetric efficiency of the pumps in which they are used.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,871, Blume, discloses valve guide and spring retainer assemblies for use in plunger pump housings that incorporate features for stress relief. These pump housings have structural features to accommodate correspondingly shaped valve guides and/or spring retainers that are internally fixed in place using one or more non-threaded spacers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,544,012, Blume, discloses a Y-block fluid section plunger pump housing having a cylinder bore which is transversely elongated at its intersection with suction and discharge bores to provide stress relief and reduction in housing weight. A spoked, ring valve spring retainer further reduces stress near the bore intersection and allows use of a top stem guided suction valve. Tapered cartridge packing assemblies facilitate use of a one-piece plunger in Y-block housings and also allow packing in such housings to be changed without removing the plunger